


On the Inside

by silver_drip



Series: Ultron's Degeneration [3]
Category: Iron Man - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-03
Updated: 2015-10-03
Packaged: 2018-04-24 14:34:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4923325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silver_drip/pseuds/silver_drip
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ultron continues to degrade.</p>
            </blockquote>





	On the Inside

**Author's Note:**

> Not sure if I edited all this. Please let me know if you see any errors.

Ultron couldn’t tell how long he’d been laying there, still unable to move.

He couldn’t complain though. He deserved this, deserved being locked up.

This was somehow worse than just observing though. He couldn’t tell what was going on with Tony, Vision, and Friday, allowing Ultron’s mind to go into every possibility on what could be happening.

Was Tony hugging Vision again?

Was he joking with Friday?

Were they all debating what to do with him?

The elevator opened a few times, but from his position on the ground he could never tell who it was.

Ultron still didn’t know what he wanted more, to die or become a part of Tony’s life.

This had to be some sort of flaw in his programming, this need to serve. Was that part of Jarvis’ code that had gotten into him? Something he picked up while watching them? Or was he always going to end up like this?

If he had destroyed all of humanity was this how he’d be? Would he be in the same position, laying around, almost catatonic?

Then one day he heard the elevator and the locks to his cell come undone. He suddenly felt more alive than when he first came into this world.

There were two pairs of footsteps and he somehow could tell that it was Tony’s and Vision’s.

“Have you come to a decision?” he asked right before he was hoisted up. Vision wouldn’t meet his eyes and he could sense Tony behind him. Even in this odd situation he felt a bit better just by being in his proximity.

Tony didn’t answer him and Ultron felt part of his electronics being exposed, the part that housed what was once his wireless system. It was fried by one of Iron Man’s repulsor beams, on that day that felt like a lifetime ago.

The circuitry was carefully extracted.

Ultron didn’t understand why. It would have made more sense for Tony to just rip it out.

He was taken to the bed and laid out.

He felt a sense of relief when he finally saw Tony.

How had he become so pathetic?

But he couldn’t deny the strange bliss that overcame him whenever Tony was around.

The engineer was looking at him with discerning eyes, taking in his every feature.

He was wearing a tool belt and was tapping the side of a screwdriver against his open palm. Vision was standing beside him, more alert than his usual docile and subservient self.

“Am I to be dissected?” He wasn’t scared, so long as it was Tony who was doing it.

“No,” Vision answered for Tony.

Ultron was surprised when Tony sat on the edge of the bed and pulled Ultron’s arm into his lap.

It was… so nice. Ultron couldn’t physically feel him, but just knowing that he was touching him… This was what he wanted, if Tony didn’t accept him the way he accepted Vision.

The joints of his fingers were manipulated, grinding together slightly. He could tell how stiff they were by the creaking noise they emitted.

Tony’s probing fingers went up to his forearm, tracing over gashes and broken bits from when Ultron had so foolishly—

But it hadn’t been foolish. Back then it had been so clear. He was the next step in evolution and humanity needed to disappear in order for him to take his place.

But if that had happened there would be no Tony.

His elbow and shoulder were tested. They weren’t as bad as his fingers, but still uncooperative.

Finally Tony’s hands were on Ultron’s neck. His chin was tilted upwards than side to side.

Tony’s eyes were so… calculating. It was clear he was detached from this whole situation. It pained Ultron in a way he never thought he could be hurt.

Rejected by his… his what?

He was nothing, but an old enemy to Tony, one that nearly killed all of humanity.

But Tony did help bring him into this world. In a way Ultron was Vision’s brother. They were made from the same stone, yet had turned out so differently…

Tony stood up and Ultron felt like he’d been rejected.

“Turn him over.” It was the first he’d heard of Tony’s voice, his real, unmodulated voice. It was somehow soothing, even though the words could lead to anything.

“Yes, Sir.”

Vision carefully turned him onto his stomach, his head facing the wall so he couldn’t see anything.

He sensed Tony examining where he’d pulled out some of Ultron’s circuitry.

More wires were moved until he felt a new chip being integrated. He felt a jolt, but wasn’t able to flinch. Wires were moved around and a new piece of metal was placed over the opening and welded shut.

“That is a kill switch. Should I decide to or Friday think it’s necessary everything about you will be deleted and I’ll just turn you into scrap metal the same way I did with all your other drones.”

“I understand.” Ultron wasn’t disappointed. He just wanted Tony. He wanted Tony to be comfortable around him. If that meant he had the ability to instantly kill him that was fine.

“I want you to think about why I should even consider keeping you.” Before Ultron could come up with something to say he heard Tony and Vision leaving. His cell locked automatically and he was alone again.

* * *

There was no good reason for Tony to keep him. He already had everything he needed, could ever need.

He thought about it for hours, but found no solution.

He was originally created to help protect this world, but instead had tried to destroy it. No one would ever trust him to do his original given task.

What else was there?

The only thing he could offer up was his schematics—but Tony probably already had that from all the broken versions of him in Sokovia.

There was no solution.

Had it been a trick question?

Ultron felt his mind starting to lull with nothing to watch or focus on.

Was this to be the final stage of his destruction? Simply falling into standby until he ran out of energy?

The sound of the elevator opening pulled him out of his dreamlike state.

It was only Tony this time, he could tell.

He stood outside of the cell and Ultron wondered what his expression was.

Ultron felt a bit reenergized by his very presence.

“Have you found an answer yet?” Tony asked and it took a moment for Ultron’s audio system to boot up.

“I’m a novelty.” The answer came to him without thought.

Tony chuckled darkly.

“That’s true, but I have plenty of novelties.” There was a pause and Ultron didn’t know what to say. It’s not like Tony was wrong. “I love Vision in a way I’ve never loved anyone before. He’s my platonic soulmate. He feels the need to serve me though, leaving little time for us to just spend time together. Would you like to take his place as my caretaker? Would you don the uniform I give you?”

“Anything,” Ultron answered without hesitation.

“Hmm, I’ll be back soon.”

* * *

Tony and Vision along with Dum-E came into his cell hours later.

Tony didn’t speak, just set to work. He moved systematically, going piece by piece, oiling, upgrading, throwing out unnecessary parts.

Ultron slowly felt his mobility coming back.

At one point he was sat up and had the pleasure of watching Tony work on him. He looked so concentrated. This was the part of him that Ultron had misunderstood so long ago. Tony wasn’t a monster, he was an inventor, a mechanic. He tried to improve the world, even if his ideas didn’t always work out, like how Ultron didn’t work out.

“I’m sorry,” Ultron blurted out. Tony didn’t look up from where he was working on Ultron’s chest. “I bastardized your dream and made it into something sick and destructive.” Tony’s jaw clenched. “If I could go back—”

“There’s no going back. There never is. All we can do is move forward,” Tony said while not looking him in the eyes. He moved back in his wheeled chair. “That’s enough for tonight.” Dum-E handed him a cloth and he wiped off his hands while standing. “Vision, don’t be too long.” Tony kissed him on the cheek and Ultron was jealous, yet accepting of his circumstances.

Dum-E followed Tony out and to the elevator.

Vision began explaining all of Ultron’s new duties. There weren’t many and Ultron was left alone soon after.

All he could think of was what Tony and Ultron could possibly be doing at the moment.

* * *

Tony had repaired Ultron’s internal clock the night before so he knew that it was just after ten when Tony came back, once again accompanied by Vision and Dum-E.

In Dum-E’s claw was a strange uniform, completely different than the suit Vision usually wore. It was a maid’s uniform, but Ultron wasn’t put off. It was just a uniform after all and just because Ultron had modeled himself into a male humanoid form didn’t mean he was male. It was just easier to refer to himself as such and gender was meaningless to him.

Tony was finishing off a sandwich before he sat down in front of Ultron.

That sense of ease was back now that he was in Tony’s presence again. It was even better now that he knew that he had a place by Tony’s side, that he’d be able to spend time with him.

The final repairs only took three hours.

Tony was having him preform simple tasks and movements to see if there were any glitches.

He had Friday scan him.

Tony tossed him a small bottle.

“Clean the grease off yourself, get changed, and then join us upstairs.”

The cell door was left open as the trio left. Ultron immediately felt Tony’s absence.

He went to work, cleaning the grease off himself with the soap Tony had given him specifically for grease and a towel and washcloth.

He was proud of himself, actually _proud_ , just for completing one task that Tony had assigned him.

He felt even better when he put on the frilly uniform, garter belt and all.

His trip in the elevator was far different than when he was last in it. He was so excited, even giddy.

When the elevator opened he was admitted into Tony’s penthouse, the place he’d stared into for countless hours.

He immediately sensed Tony and Vision in the TV room. He spotted the pair snuggled together, some documentary on the TV. Vision was wearing more relaxed clothing.

Tony glanced over at him.

“I’m glad your uniform fits.” There was no humor in his voice simply approval.

Ultron felt like he was finally doing what he’d been built to, fulfilling his reason for being.

Tony turned back to the TV, still in Vision’s arms, essentially dismissing him.

* * *

Days went by with Ultron completing simple tasks, things that were beneath Tony.

His eyes always lingered on Tony and Vision, the way they touched. It was so soft and simple and Ultron knew he’d never have something like that with Tony.

Ultron was just an unfeeling piece of metal. Who would ever touch cold metal affectionately? Besides, his whole purpose was to do chores so that Vision had more time to spend with Tony.

Ultron accepted that he’d be nothing more than a maid, but what truly mattered was that he was _Tony’s_ maid. And being near Tony was all he wanted.

**Author's Note:**

> Strangely enough, this series was inspired by [this](http://hwang-cheol.tumblr.com/post/126252042797/home-service-ultron-vision) drawing by [HwangCheol](http://hwang-cheol.tumblr.com/)


End file.
